Circttit-intebrttptkb



UNHE erarns JOSEPH N. MAHONEY, 0F

WILKINSBUBG, IPENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND IEANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed January To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, J osnrrr N. Manonnr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Alle gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Interrupters, of which the followin isaspecification.

\iiy invention relates to circuit interrupters and particularly toterminals and contact members for such devices.

T he object of my invention is to provide terminals and contact members for circuit interrupters that shall be cheap to construct, easily adjusted and assembled and reliable in operation. I

My Patent No. 1,224,186, dated May 1, 1917, discloses a circuit interrupter having contact members that are self alining and 'that is relatively cheaper to initially tensioned. However,. no means is provided for easily assembling and ad usting the initial relative positions of the contact members. 7

My present invention utilizes the self alining and the initial tensioning devices set forth in the above mentioned application, but further provides a construction manufacture and has the additional feature of permitting lib accurate positioning of the contact members in both horizontal and vertical planes with respect to each other. Figure 1 .of the accompanying drawing is a side elevational view of portions of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of a flanged-positioning device embodied in my invention.

A circuit interrupter constructed in' accordance with my invention comprises a frame 1, stationary switch members 2, an

operating rod 3 and a bridging member 4 that is provided with main and auxiliary contact members '5 and 6, respectively. The bridging member 1 is so shaped that the contact members 5 lie in a plane that is substantially transverse to its axis, and the auxiliary contact members 6 constitute removablebolts that are secured to projections 7 on the ends of the bridging member. The bridging member. 1 is adapted to be actuated through the rod 3 by any suitable type of operating mechanism (not shown).

The stationary switch members 2 sev- Specification of Letters Fatent.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTER.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

a, .916. Serial its. 10,255.

erally comprise a conducting rod 8, an insulator 9 surrounding the same, a base member 10 that is secured to the lower end of the rod 8, a main stationary contact member 11 and an auxiliary stationary contact member 12. The rod 8 is screw threaded near its respective ends and is adapted to be adjustably secured in any desired position with respect to the insulator 9 by means of nuts 13 and 14; and washers 15 and 16. Thus, the relative position of the contact members may be adjusted. That is, each stationary switch member may be adjusted in a vertical plane independently of the'other to obtain more nearly simultaneous engagement of the respective contact members.

The base member 10 is of substantially I Lsbape, one of its arms being'secured to the lower end of the rod 8 andits other arm being provided with an opening in which is disposed a bolt 17 that is provided with a nut 17 for securing the contact members 11- and 12 thereto. The main stationary contact member 1]. is substantially a parallelepipedon in shape having an upper portion cut away To the lower por-' tion of the contact member 11 is fastened a substantially flat resilient conductor 18 having an indentation 19 therein. A second conductor 20 of very thin pliable steel, or any other suitable material, is also connected to the lower portion of the contact member 11, and the two conductors are secured, at their'upper ends, to the base member 10 by the bolt 17 and the nut 17*; A relatively stiif. metal strip 21, having a bearing point 22 at one of its ends, is secured, at its other end, tothe base member 10 and is adapted to bear upon the conductor 20. A second relatively stiff strip 23 is secured, at its upper end, to the opposite side of the base member 10 to that to which the' strip 21 is secured, and'its lower end is adapted to Quail flexib'e conductor 26. The terminal 27 is also secured to the base member 10 by the bolt 1? and the nut 1'1".

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that the single bolt 17 and the nut 17 secure the various alining, and tensioning devices of the stationary contact members to the base member, and the base member is secured to a rod that may be adjusted vertically to any desired positionb y the turning of the nuts 13 and 14.

The rod 8 is slitted, at its upper end, to receive a clip terminal 28, and a bolt 29 and a nut 30 are provided for securing the clip terminal 28 in position.

The insulator 9 is provided with an annular flange or projectionBl between its respective ends, and the base plate or frame 1 of the circuit interrupter is provided with openings 33 having beveled under edges. An ellipticallyshaped member 34 having a flanged outer rim is provided with three openings 35, 36 and 37. The openings 35 and 3? are adapted to register with open ings 38 in the base plate or frame 1, and are adapted to receive bolts 39 that are provided with nuts 40 for securing the insulater 9 in position. Around the upper edge of the projection is disposed a washer 41 and a substantially ring-shaped member 42 that is adapted to engage the beveled edges or the base plate or frame 1. The insulator 9 may be adjusted horizontally to secure accurate alinement of the contact members by adjusting the nuts 40. That is, the cooperation of the ring-shaped members 42 and the beveled edges constitute a universal joint or connection that permits of free adjustment of the switch members 2.

ffhen the circuit interrupter is open, the conductor 18 rests against the lower end of the bearing strip 23, and the bearing point 2:2 exerts an initial pressure thereon. The contact member 11 assumes a position that is in direct alinement with the movable con tact member 5. When the movable contact member 5 is moved upwardlv, it engages the Contact member 11 and distributes its force in such direction that its main component is in a line normal to the'contact planes and passing through ,the hearing point 22-, thereby precluding the undue straining of the alining strip 20 because the bearing strip 21 is provided for dissipating the external forces. I

it do not limi mv invention to the particular structure illustrated. as it may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A. t iminal member for a circuit inter rnptcr comprisingan insulator. a rod disd within the insulator. contact members rtcdon one end oi? the rod and nuts for 1 ,easeoo cooperating with the rod to adjust the position of the same with respect to the insulator.

2. A terminal member for a circuit interrupter comprising an insulator, a rod dis-' posed within the insulator, contact members mounted on one end of the rod, and nuts for cooperating with the rod to adjust the position of the same and to clamp it in any desired position with respect to the insulator.

' 3. A terminal member comprising an insulator having an opening therethrough, a rod disposed in the opening in the insulator, a contact member mounted on one end of the rod and nuts for cooperating with the rod to adjust the same longitudinally with respect to the insulator.

4:. A terminal member comprising an insulator having an openingtherethrough, a rod disposed in the opening in the insulator, a contact member mounted on one end of the rod, and nuts for adjusting the rod longitudinally with respect to and for clamping the same to the insulator.

5. in a circuit interrupter, the combination with stationary and movable contact members, of an insulator for the stationary members, means for adjusting the Vertical position of the stationary members with respect to the insulator, and means for adjusting the horizontal position of the insulator with respect to the movable contact members.

6. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with an insulating member, a rod projecting therethrough and a contact member mounted on the rod, of means for adjusting the position of the rod with respect to the insulator and for adjusting the horizontal .position of the insulator.

7. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with movable and stationary contact members, of insulators for the stationary contact members, and a universal connection for adjusting the positionsof the insulators with respect to each other. i

8. A terminal member comprising an insulator, a rod disposed therein having screw threads thereon at each end, a contact member mounted at one end, and nuts for coiiperating with the insulator and the screwthreaded portions of the rod for adjusting the same with respect to the insulator.

9. A terminal member comprising an in sulato'r, a rod disposed therein having screw threads thereon at each end, a contact member mounted at one end, and nuts for cooperating with the insulator and the screwthreaded portions of the rod for adjusting the same with respect to and for securing the same to the insulator.

10. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with stationary and movable contact members, of an insulator for the stationary lllmllli means for adjusting the vertical position of the stationary members with respect to the insulator, and means for adjusting the position of the insulator with respect to the movable members.

11. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion with movable and stationary contact members, of an insulator for the stationary contact member, means for adjusting the position of the stationary contact member with respect to the insulator, and a universal connection for adjusting the position of the insulator with respect to the movable conposition of the stationary contact member with respect to the insulator, and a universal connection for adjusting the horizontal position of the insulator with respect to the movable contact member.

13. A terminal member comprising an insulator, having an opening therethrough, a screw-threaded rod disposed therein and raving a contact member mounted on one end thereof, and nuts cooperating with the ends of the insulator and the rod for adjusting the same with respect to the insulator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 30 subscribed my name this 28th day of Dec. 1915.

JosErH N. MAHONEY. 

